Machine for producing alpha connected series of heddles



Oct. 25, 1932. H. D. COLMAN 1,884,575

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16, 19287 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Howard DCoLman.

QQWZZ am ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1932. H. D. COLMAN I 1,884,575

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES. OF HEDDLES Filed July 16, 19287 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Howard D. Colman ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, D; CQLMAN1,884,575

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16, 19287 Sheets-Sheet 5 /I0 [08 la /09 Inventor Oct. 25, 1932.

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16, 1928D. COLMAN 1,884,575

7 Sheehs-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Howard D. Colman ATTORN EY6 0a. 25, 1932. H.D. COLMAN 1,884,575

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16. 19287 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR fgou/ard .D. Colman ATTORNEYS H. D. COLMANMACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16. 19287 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR D. Colman ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1932. H. D.COLMAN 1,884,575

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Filed July 16, 19287 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR Hgward 1). 002mm? ATFORNEYS Patented Oct. 25,1932 arr-En: earns Pee NT LFF-l'iCE;

HOWARD D. COLMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIG'rNORv TO BARBER-COLMAIN:COMPANY, 01 RQCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIONOFILLINOIS MACHINE FORPRODUCING, A CONNECTED SERIES OF HEDDLES Application filed JulylG, 1928:Serial No. 293,059;

This. invention has special, although perhaps not exclusive, referenceto heddles of the sort which are used in multiple-harness looms, as, forexample, the form of heddle known in the trade as the Philadelphia steelheddle. The production of a machine for automatically drawing warpthreads in the desired order throughsuch heddles contained in. alargenumber. ofharnesses involves the problem off-selecting. the heddleeyes singly and successively in the sequence determined by the patternto bewoven. In order to facilitate the selection ofthe heddles, I haveconceived the ideaof connecting the eyes of the heddles'contained withina given harness or heddle frame by-meansof aseries of chain stitches sothat the-whole series may be pulled along to bring successive eyes intoor toward the position where they are to receive the warp threads. Thepresent invention relates to a machine for producing such a connectedseries of heddles.

In the accompanying. drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmental front elevation of a machineembodying.theifeatures of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view in the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental front elevation of the machine. I

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken in the plane of line ,55 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 5" is a fragmental frontview of the work plate.

' Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan section showing 7 the presser foot, feedbar, looper and needle, the view being taken in the plane of line 5 5 ofFig. 6.

Fi .6 is a fragmental ers ective view' b r, .L

showing the vertically movable member 120 in the operation ofpositioning ;a heddle for engagement by the. finger 135.

Fig.1? is. a .fragmcntal perspective view showingthe member 120 in itslowermost position and showing the finger 135 as having engaged theheddle.

Fig. Sis a horizontal sectional view taken inthe plane of line 88 ofFig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view in the plane of line 99 of Fig. 1. I Fig. 10is an enlarged fragmental viewof a connected series of heddles.

VVhile the invention may be'employed in connection with heddles ofvarious forms, the present embodiment in the invention is espe' ciallydesigned to operate upon the form of heddle shown in Figs. 4, 5' and "10and' there designated A. Said heddleconsists of a thin-- strip of steelhaving at either end an elongated opening B by means of which the heddlemay be slidably mounted in a heddle frame. In termediate its ends theheddle' is 'providedwith an eye C which stands at a slight angle to theplane of the body of'th'eheddl'el- Just below the upper openingB andjust above the loweropening B the heddle is provided with offsetportions D, as described in myapplication Serial No. 692,645, filedFebruary 14, 1924..

The machine herein shown is especially-- adapted to handle heddle framesof the kindl disclosed in my application Serial No. 744,- 543, filedOctober 20,1924 (now Patent No. 1,686,073, dated October 2, 1928). Sucha frame comprises wooden top and bottom frame bars 1 and 2 connected'attheir ends.

by metallic bars 3. Mounted in and support ed by the end bars 3 arethehGCldlGaSllPPOI'ting bars l upon which the heddles A are slidablymounted in singlefile by means-0f" their eyes B. Means is providedtosupport the bars 4 intermediate their'ends, said means; comprisingguide bars 5 (Fig. 4) one-for each of the harness bars 1 and 2. Theguide bars. 5 are of approximately the same length as. the bars 1 and 2.On each of the guide b'ars- 5 is mounted a slide 9 (Fig. 4) comprisinga'depending portion 9 having anopening through which the adjacent heddle-bar 4 extends slidably. The slides 9 serve to hold the" bars 4 inproper position with relation tothe bars 1 and 2 when the heddle frameis in the loom, but said slides are freely'movable substantially thefull length of the-heddle frame and thus interpose no obstacles tothe-compacting or sliding of the heddles along the bars t when theheddle frame is in the machine herein disclosed. The portion 9 is sufframe is traversed past stationary mechanism for operating upon theheddles, or whether the heddle frame is stationary and is taversed bythe operating mechanism. While the invention comprehends botharrangements, the

present drawings illustrate means generally similar to that disclosed insaid application Serial No. 692,645 for supporting the heddle frame formovement past a stationary operating mechanism. There being a number ofscrew heads projecting from the lower edge of the bar 2, the heddleframe is preferably set in a channel or shoe 10 (Fig. said channelhaving recesses to receive the screw heads. The shoe is arranged toslide in a guideway 11 (Figs. 2 and 5). The heddle frame is held inupright position in any preferred manner, as, for example, by meanswhich form a guideway through which the upper portions of the heddlespass.

Referring to Fig. 3, 12 is a guide plate fixed in the framework of themachine at the rear of the heddle frame and extending horizontally ashort distance below the upper series of offsets D. 13' (Figs. 3 and 4)are bars forming part of the stationary framework of the machine, saidbars having attached to their lower ends a bar 14. The bars 13 and 14are spaced away from the guide plate 12 sufficiently to allow a heddleframe to pass therebetween. A guide plate 15 is mounted on the bar 14parallel with and in the horizontal plane 0 the guide plate 12 (see Fig.5) and is adjustable into and out of position to lie close to theheddles. In the plate 15 are inclined slots 15" through which headedscrews 15 extend. After being manually adjusted with reference to theguide plate 12 to form a guideway through which the heddles may travel,the plate 15 is fixed in adjusted position by tightening the middlescrew 15". It will be understood that when a heddle frame is to be lacedin or withdrawn from the machine, t e guide plate 12 is moved forwardinto ition to clear the end bars 3 of the heddiia frame.

Any suitable means may be employed to keep the heddles compactedtogether in the guideway formed between the plates 12 and 15 with theleading heddle-pressed against a selecting mechanism. Herein I haveshown a slide 16 (Fig. 3) mounted in a guideway 17 (F 1 5) provided inthe framework of the mac me, said guideway extending parallel with theguideway formed between the plates 12 and 15. To the slide 16 is pivotedat 18 an arm 19 having a vertically extendin bar 19 carrying threepresser fingers 19" igs. 1 and 4) arranged to bear a ainst the rearmostheddle adjacent to the 0 sets D and at a point above the eye C. Theoperative position of the presser fingers is determined by contactof'the stop portion 20 (Fig. 3) of the arm 19 with the slide 16. Anypreferred means may be used to urge the slide 16 in the direction topress the fingers 19 against the heddles. Herein is shown a Weight 21(Fig. 1) which is connected to the slide 16 by means of a flexibleconnection 22,said connection extending over a guide sheave 23. A notch23 in the plate 12 is adapted to receive the bar 19 and hold the slide16 against movement by the weight 21, the heddle-compacting means beingthen out of the way when a heddle frame is to be placed in the machine.

7 While the heddle selecting and positioning mechanism may partake ofvarious forms, the construction herein shown is like that dis closed insaid application Serial No. 692,645. It comprises four arms 24, 25, 26and 27 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) arranged to swing into and out of engagementwith the heddles. The arms 24 and 27 operate in front of the series ofheddles, the arms 25 and 26 being arranged to operate behind theheddles. The lower end of the arm 24 is formed to provide a finger 28(Fig. 3) adapted to serve as an abutment against which the heddles arecompacted by the presser fingers 19".

The lower end of the arm 27 (Fig. 6) is provided with a finger 34arranged to operate beneath the guide plates 12 and 15. The end of thefinger 34 is made pointed to enter the space between a selected heddleand the next succeeding heddle. On the finger 34 is an inclined or camsurface 35 to crowd the selected heddle to the right and thus separatethe upper end of said heddle from the remaining unselected heddles.

For a description of the construction and mode of operation of the arms24, 25, 26 and 27, reference may be had to said application Serial No.692,645. These arms are rocked in propersuccession by means including acam shaft 46 (Fig. 1). The cam shaft 46 is driven by means of a helicalgear fixed on said shaft and meshing with a similar gear 91 carried by avertical shaft 92. On the lower end of the shaft 92 is a spiral gear 93that meshes with a similar gear 94 on a drive shaft 95.

Any desired means may be employed to move the heddle frame to the rightas the heddles are being operated upon. I have herein shown for thispurpose a rack bar 96 (Figs. 2 and 5) which is mounted in a guideway 97.To the left-hand end of the rack bar 96 is fixed a finger 98 adapted tobear against the left-hand end of the heddle frame. The rack bar 96meshes with a pinion 99 (Fig. 2) which is fixed upon a shaft 100 (Fig.1), said shaft being journaled in one arm of a lever cam 106 (Fig. 4)fixed onthe shaft 46. A

roller 107 on a'bell crank 108 which is pivoted M109 is held in contactwith the cam 106 by a spring 110. The other arm of the bell crank 108 isconnected by means ofa link 111 to a crank arm 112 (Fig. 1) which ispivoted on the shaft 100. The crank arm 112 carries a pawl 113 thatengages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 114 fixed on the shaft 100.

Theheddle eyes C are kept in alinement by means of a needle-like rod 115(Figs. 1,

3and 4) the left-hand end of whichis detachably secured to a bracket 116forming a part of the machine frame.

The selector mechanismconsisting of the w arms 24, 25, 26and 27operatesupon the upperends of'the heddles and serves toadvance the upper ends ofthe heddles singly and successively from the series of unselectedheddles. As the cam surface 35' (Fig.6) moves the'upper, end of aselected heddle to the right away fromthe unselected heddles, the lowerend of said heddle lags. In. order to continue the separation initiatedby the selector mechanism 24, 25, 26 and 27 to'the point where thesewing mechanism operates, I provide an arm 120 whichis mounted to slideup and down on a vertically positioned rocker bar 121. The pivots of,the rocker bar are indicated at 122 and 123. In'the free end of the arm120 is a wedge-shaped. point 124 (Fig. 6), and to the right of saidpoint is a notch 125. After. the cam 35 has forced the upperend of aselected heddle away from the unselected heddles, the arm 120 is swungto push the point 124 between the selected heddle and the foremostunselected heddle, the selected heddle beingthus placed in the notch125.

The means for swinging the arm 120 into andvout of engagement with aselected heddle comprises an arm 126 (Figs. 6 and 9) fixed to the pivot123 and: having a roller that is held against a cam 127 onthe shaft 92by means. of a spring 128.

Afterthe arm-120 has been swunginto engagement with a selected heddle,it is moved downwardly to place the heddle in approximately verticalposition. The means for vertically reciprocating the arm 120 comprises acrank arm 129 (Fig. 1) fixed to the shaft 95 and connected by means of arod 130 to a crosshead 131 which is mounted in a guide 132 fixed in themachine frame. A connecting rod 133 is pivoted to the. crosshead 131 atits lower end and is connected at its upperend: to the arm 120 hymeansofca' ball-and-socket. joint 134- (Figi14). I

;Means;is provided for accuratelyipositione ing the heddle eye. forengagement byxthe feed bar of the sewing. mechanism. This meanscomprisesqan arm 135 (Fig. 7 hav-- ing two fingers136 and137 locatedzinposition to engage a heddle above and below' and relatively close totheheddle eye. :The end of the upper finger .136 is notched to. engagethe heddle, thewalls of the notch being inclined or flaring so astolocatethe heddle accurately in position. The arm 135"- is pivotedat 138to anarmi139which-is fixed upon a vertical rock shaft 140 journaled inthe machine frame. .To the lower end ofthe shaft 140 is fixedan arm 141(Figs. 4 and -9) carrying a roller that bears against a cam 142' on theshaft 92. Y A spring 143 holds said roller against thecam. RevertingtoFigaT,

a spring'144 tends to hold the arm 135 against an adjustable stop 145carried .by the arm 139. To the arm 139 is fixed a finger 146 (Fig. 8)which acts :to prevent any but the selected heddle from entering thenotch in the finger 136.

Various forms of sewing mechanism may be employed, but that hereinshownis gen erally similar to the Willcox & Gibbs singlethreadchain-stitch machine, Type 500, man- L ufactured under theWillcox'laNoble Patent No. 276,113, the l/Villcox Patent No. 398,300 and theBortonPatent N 0. 525,043. .A work plate 150 (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8)isstationarily supported in the machine frame rearwardly of the seriesof heddles. In the :upperedge of the work plate is a notch.151 to affordclear-- ance for the positioning finger 136. When in the'position shownin::F-igs..7 and'8, the lower finger 137.holds the portion of the heddlejust below the eyeG pressed against the work plate 150. There are twohorizontalrows of square teeth 152. on the work plate 150, the teeth ineach row being spacedzapart just sufficiently to receive a heddle.closelto The means for advancing heddle eyes singlyand successively intooperative relation with the needle and for moving sewed heddles awayfrom the needle comprises a 'feedbar (Fig. 8) and a presser foot l56located: at

opposite sides of the work plate 150. The needleopening in the presserfoot is indicated at 156 inFig. 8. The presser. foot is-secured to apresser bar; 157 which is slidably supported in the machine frame and isurgedtowar'd the work plate 150 by a spring 158. The

presser foot is of sufiicient length to bear upon the heddle eyes C froma point shortly before the heddles are acted upon by the firms 24, 25and 26, until after they have been stitched to ther. The bar 115 whichholds the eyes in alinement until the heddles reach the selectormechanism 24, 25 and 26 extends to a point just under the toe of thepresser foot 156 and thus serves to guide the eyes C of the heddlesunder the presser. foot.

The feed bar 155 comprises two parallel horizontally arranged bars 159which are slidably mounted in slots 160 (Fig. 5) in the work plate 150.'On the forward edges of the bars 159 are square teeth 161 like theteeth 152 and spaced similarly to said teeth. The rows of teeth 161 areat opposite sides of the presser foot 156. The spaces between the teeth161 are designated 161 (Fig. 6). The number of pairs of verticall alinedspaces 161 corresponds to the num er of pairs of vertically alinedspaces 153. As shown in Fig. 8, the bars 159 are long enough to Operateupon at least three heddles at a time with three vacant spaces 153between successive heddles. As indicated in Fig. 10, the needle N, thefeed bar 155 and the looper L go through four cycles of movements perheddle. The movements of the feed bar 155 are similar to those in theWillcox & Gibbs machine. Assuming the feed bar 155 to be in itsrighthand position, it is moved rearwardly until the teeth 161 no longerproject beyond the forward face of the work plate 150; is then moved tothe left a distance equal to the distance between the centers of twoadjacent teeth 161, thus placing a pair of vertically alined spaces 161directly behind a heddle engaged by the fingers 136 and 137; is thenmoved forward into engagement with said heddle and with any precedingheddles lying in the s aces 153, the forward movement being suflibientto carry the eyes C of said heddles forward of the vertical plane of theends of the teeth 152, the arm 139 and the presser foot 156 yielding toaccommodate such movement; is then moved to the right a distance equalto the distance between two adjacent teeth 161, the arm 135 swinging onits pivot 138 to allow such movement, and is then moved rearwardly toallow the fingers 136 and 137 and the presser foot 156 to press theheddles into the spaces 153. In this manner the heddle eyes C areadvanced from one space 153 to the next, the operation of the. needle,the feed bar and the looper being so timed with reference to theselecting mechanism 24, 25, 26 and 27 and the positioning arm 120 thatfour stitches S are formed per heddle, adjacent heddle eyes being thusconnected together by a series of intervening chain stitches, as shownin Fig. 10. Each side of each heddle eye is enclosed within a stitch.Three stitches intervene between adjacent heddles.

It ma be desirable to make a series several inc es long of stitchesafter the last heddle has passed the needle. While heddles are passingthrough the sewing mechanism, the travel of the heddles suffices to pullthe stitches out of the needle opening 154, but when the sewingmechanism is not operating on heddles it is necessary to have means topull the series of stitches along to the right so as to prevent stitchesfrom accumulating in the needle opening 154. I therefore attach to thefeed bar 155 a block 162 (Figs. 5" and 7) having two rectangular teeth163. The block 162 is arranged to reciprocate in a rectangular opening164 located midway between the slots 160 and to the right of the needleopening 154. The presser foot 156 comprises a yieldable section 165located opposite the block 162, the section 165 being urged toward theblock 162 by a spring 166. Being located in the horizontal plane inwhich the stitches are traveling, the teeth 163 press the stitchesagainst the presser-foot section 165 and pull the stitches step-by-stepto the right.

The teeth 163 are so located with reference to the spaces 161 assuccessively to enter the heddle eye, thus serving to supplement theaction of the teeth 161 in engaging and moving the heddles to the right.foot is provided with the yieldable section 165 in order that it mayaccommodate itself to distorted heddles.

The looper L herein shown is like the one illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive of the Borton Patent No. 525,043. It is rotated and the feedbar 155 reciprocated by means including a vertical shaft 166 (Fig. 5)bearing at its lower end a sprocket wheel 167 (Figs. 5 and 9).

The bar 168 (Fig. 5) that carries the needle N is reciprocated by meansof a lever 169 which is pivoted at 170. The lower arm of the lever 169is connected by means of a pitman 171 to an eccentric (not shown) on avertical shaft 172. Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 172 is asprocket wheel 173. A chain 174 (Fig. 9) extends around the sprocketwheels 167 and 173 and a sprocket wheel 175 fixed on the shaft 92. 176is a slacktake-up idler. The thread tension 177 (Fig. 5) is like the oneshown in the Gorton Patent No. 397,640 and is operated by means of a rod178 engaging an eccentric (not shown) on the shaft 17 2. The spool ofthread is supported on the spindle 179 (Figs. 1 and 2).

If desired, means may be provided to stop the machine in the event thatoperation of the arms 25 and 26 be interfered with, as by engagementwith a defective or improperly positioned heddle. Such a means is fullydisclosed in my application Serial No. 692,645. The same means is alsoshown herein, although not in detail. Instead of shifting a belt, as inthe before mentioned appli- The presser from'the machine, the pinion 99(Fig. 2) is lifted from the rack bar 96 by means of the crank 105. Theselector arms 24 and 27 are pulled forward, as explained in myapplication Serial No. 692,645, and the right hand end of the nextheddle frame is passed between the forward arms 24 and 27 and the reararms 25 and 26. The lower edge of the heddle frame is set in the shoe 10(F ig.,5). The heddle frame is then slid to the left until the righthand end of the frame is immediately to the right of the arms 24, 25, 26and 27. As the heddle frame slides to the left, it engages the finger 98(F ig. 2) and thus moves the rack bar 96 also to the left. The heddlesare then slid to'the right on the bars 4 until the foremost heddle tothe right is in contact with the abutment 28 (Fig. 3). The guide plate15 (Fig. 3) is then moved back close tothe heddles. The bar l9 (Fig. 3)is then withdrawn from the detent notch 23 and positioned so that thefingers 19 (Fig. 1) bear against the rearmost heddle, the weight 21serving to compact the heddles against the abutment 28. The pinion 99 isthen returned into mesh with the rack bar 96, and power communicated tothe drive shaft 95 (Fig. 1).

As the arm 27 (Fig. 6) sets off each heddle successively from theunselected heddles, the

arm 120 swings into engagement with the heddle thus set off, and thenmoves downwardly to place the heddle in approximately vertical position.As the'arm 120' completes its downward stroke, the arm 139 swings towardthe rear to press the heddle against the work plate 150 immediately tothe left of the teeth 152 which are'farthest to the left. The pressureof the notched finger 136 and the square-end finger 137 causes the eyeto lie fiat against the work plate. The toothed bars 159 then advance toreceive the heddle eyein the pair ofvertically alined spaces 161 whichis farthest to the left, andto move the heddle eye forward beyond thevertical plane of the teeth 152. The bars 159 then move to the right tocarry the heddle eye into position in front of the pair of verticallyalined spaces 153 which is farthest to the left. The bars 159 then moveback to deposit the heddle eye in said pair of spaces 153. The

' heddle eye is thus advanced step-by-step to and past the needle. Afterthe last heddle has passed the needle, the machine is continued inoperation until a series of stitches several inches long hasbeen formed,after which the heddle frame is removed and transported tothewarp-drawing machine.

It will be understood by reference to Fig.

10 that the stitches, engaging as they do both sides of the eye, serveas a means of control ling the eye in the positioning of the latter,that the stitches between the heddles connect successive heddlestogether at approximately equaldistances apart, and that the heddles maybe disconnected by unraveling the stitches.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of.chain-stitch-form-' ing means including awork-plate, a sewing needle and a looper, said work plate having aseries of heddle-receiving spaces therein, and a feed memberreciprocable longitudi nally and transversely to advance a' heddle fromone space to the next and thus to and past the needle.

2. The combination of stitch-forming means, means for causing relativemovement between the stitch-forming means and arigid heddle framecontaining a series of heddles slidably mounted in said frame, means forselectingheddles singly and successively from the series, and means for'feeding selected heddles past the stitch-forming means.

3. The combination of stitch-forming means, means for causing relativemovement between the stitch-forming means and a rigid heddle framecontaining a series of heddles mounted to slide in said frame, and meansfor causing relative movement be tween the series of heddles and thestitchforming means to bring successive heddles into operative relationto the stitch-forming means.

4. The combination of means for stitching the middle portions of heddlestogether, means for selecting heddles from a group of heddles, saidselecting means operating'upon the ends of the heddles, and means forbring ing the middle portions of selected heddles into operativerelation to the stitch-forming means, the third-mentioned meansincluding means movable longitudinally of a selected heddle from a pointnear the selecting means to a point near the stitchingmeans.

5. The combination of means for supporting a bar on which a series ofPhiladelphia transferring means and 20 for. feeding heddle eyes ing'abar strung, a

v 7. In a machine for sewing Philadelphia steel heddles together, thecombination of means for selectin a heddle from a series of unselectedhed les from one end of the series, means for sewing heddles together bya series of chain stitches, means for feeding heddles past the sewingmeans, and means for transferring heddles from the selecting means tothe feeding means, said feeding means acting to s ace heddles apart sothat at least one intervenes between successive heddles. 8. Thecombination of means for supporton which a series of heddles is barextending through *the eyes of the heddles, means for selecting a heddlefrom the series, means for sewing heddle eyes together, means includinga reciprocatory feed her and a yieldable presser foot past the sewingmeans, the second mentioned bar extending closerto the presser foot, andmeans for transferring heddles from the selecting means to the feedingmeans. I 9. The combination of means for selecting a heddle from a groupof unselected heddles, means for sewing heddles together, means forfeeding heddles past the sewing means, the selecting means and thesewingmeans operatao ing upon separated portions of the heddles,

means movable longitudinally of a selected heddle for moving toward thesewing means the portion of the heddle which is to be sewed, andyieldable' means to receive the heddle :5 from said longitudinallymovable member 40 means for sewing heddles together,

foot,

andcooperating with said feeding means to control the heddle.

10.- The combination of means for selecting a heddle from a group ofunselected heddles, means for feeding heddles past the sewing means,said feeding means including a reciprocatory feed bar and a yieldablepresser foot, the heddles movin between said feed bar and'the presser eselecting means and the sewing means operating upon separated portionsof the heddles, means movable longitudinally of a selected heddle formoving toward the sewing means the portion of the heddle which is to besewed, and two yieldable fingers to the presser foot.

end of the heddles,

receive the heddle from said longitudinally movable means andcooperating with said feeding means to control the heddle, said fingersengaging the heddle at opposite sides of 11. The combination of meansfor sewing together the eyes of heddles, means forselectsing heddlesfrom a group of unselected heddles, said selecting means operating nearone means for continuing to the sewing means the separation initiated bythe selecting means, and means for controlling the eye of the separatedheddle from the time it is released by the third mentioned means 6 untilit is engaged by the sewing means.

12. The combination of chain. stitch forming means including a workplate, a sewing needle and a looper, said work plate having a series ofheddle-receiving spaces therein, a feed member reciprocablelongitudinally and transversely to advance a heddle from one space tothe next: and thus to and past the needle, and means for deliveringheddles singly and successively to said feed member on nonconsecutiveadvancing movements of the latter, whereby the heddles are spaced apartwith at least one stitch intervening.

13. The combination of means for supporting a bar on which a series ofheddles is strung, a bar extending through the eyes of the heddles,chain stitch-formingnneans including a work plate, a sewing needle and alooper, said work plate having a series of heddle'receiving s acestherein, a feed member reciprocable ongitudinally and transversely toadvance a heddle from one space to the next and thus to and past theneedle, a yieldable presser foot, said feed member and presser footbeing at opposite sides of the work plate, the second mentioned barextending close to said presser foot, and means for delivering heddlessingly and'succes sively to said feed member on non-consecutive advanceing movements of the latter, whereby the heddles are spaced apart withat least one stitch intervening.

14. The combination of chain stitch-form ing means including a; workplate, a sewing needle and a looper, said work plate having a series otheddle-eye-reoeiving spaces therein, a feed member reciprocablelongitudinally and transversely to advance a heddle eye from one spaceto the next and thus to and past the needle, a yieldable presser foot,said presser foot and said feed member being located at opposite sidesof the work plate, and means for delivering heddle eyes singly andsuccessively to said feed member on non-consecutive advancing movementsof the latter, whereby the heddle eyes are spaced apart with at leastone stitch intervening. V

15. The combination of stitch-forming means, means for causing relativemovement between the stitch-forming means and a rigid heddle framecontaining a series of heddles mounted to slide in the frame,'thestitchforming means being located in position to operate upon the middleportion of the heddles, means for selecting heddles singly andsuccessively from the series, said selecting means operating near oneend of the heddles, means engaging the middle portions of the heddlesfor feeding selected heddles past the stitch-forming means, and meansfor bringing the middle portion of each selected heddle into the rangeof action of said heddle-feeding means.

16. The combination of. stitch-forming means, means for causing relativemovement between the stitch-forming means and a rigid heddle framecontaining a series of heddles mounted to slide in the frame, thestitchforming means being located in position to operate upon the middleportion of the heddles, means for selecting heddles singly andsuccessively from the series, said selecting means operating near oneend of the heddles, means engaging the eyes of selected heddles forfeeding them past the stitch-forming means, and means including anotched arm for bringing the eye of each selected heddle into the rangeof action of said heddle-feeding means, said arm being movable intoengagement with a selected heddle adjacent to the selecting means andbeing thence movable longitudinally of the heddle to a position adjacentto the heddle-eye feeding means and being then movable out of engagementwith the heddle and longitudinally into position adjacent the selectingmeans.

17. A heddle feeding means comprising a support having a series ofheddle receiving spaces therein, a feed member having a similar seriesof heddle receiving spaces, said member being reciprocable transverselyof the support to move a heddle into and out of the first mentionedspaces and being also reciprocable lengthwise of the support to place aheddle in register with successive spaces in the support. 7

18. A heddle-feeding means comprising a support having a series ofheddle-receiving spaces therein, a feed member having a similar seriesof heddle-receiving spaces, said member being reciprocable transverselyof the support to move a heddle into and out of the first mentionedspaces and being also reciprocable lengthwise of the support to place aheddle in register with successive spaces in the support, and ayieldingly mounted presser foot against which the heddle is pressed bysaid feed member and along which the heddle is slidable in thelengthwise reciprocation of the feed member.

19. A heddle-feeding means comprising a support having a series ofheddle-receiving spaces therein, a feed member having a similar seriesof heddle-receiving spaces, said member being reciprocable transverselyof the support to move a heddle into and out of the first mentionedspaces and being also reciprocable lengthwise of the support to place aheddle in register with successive spaces in the support, a pivoted arm,a second arm pivoted on the first arm, the second arm having two spacedfingers adapted to engage the heddle above and below the eye and aboveand below the feed member, said feed member and said arms being locatedat opposite sides of the support, means for swinging the first arm topress said fingers against the heddle, a spring tending to swing thesecond arm into heddle-receiving position, and means for swinging thefirst arm to withdraw said fingers from the heddle.

20, The combination of chain stitch-forming means including a workplate, a sewing needle, and a looper, said work plate having twoparallel rows of heddle-eye-receiving spaces therein, a feed memberreoiprocable longitudinally and transversely to advance a heddle-eyefrom one space to the next and thus to and past the needle, a yieldablepresser foot, said presser foot and said feed member being located atopposite sides of the work plate, and a part secured to said feed memberand provided with a tooth projecting through the work plate between saidrows of spaces into position to enter a heddle eye, said presser foothaving a yieldable section opposite said tooth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HOWARD D. COLMAN.

